Connector for memory card and mobile phone with the connector

ABSTRACT

The present invention is intended to detachably retain a memory card ( 1 ) and connect a terminal formed on a terminal surface ( 1   a ) of the memory card ( 1 ) to the terminal on a substrate ( 21 ) so as to be capable of data exchange. There are provided a housing ( 2 ) having a terminal surface abutting portion ( 3 ) to be abutted to the terminal surface ( 1   a ) of the memory card ( 1 ) and guiding walls ( 4 ), ( 4 ) extending upward from lateral ends of the terminal surface abutting portion ( 3 ) for laterally positioning the memory card ( 1 ); and tabs ( 10 ) having resilient supporting strips ( 12 ), ( 12 ) on top and bottom and being attached to the respective guiding walls ( 4 ) by being fitted from the outside so as to clamp the tops and bottoms of the guiding walls ( 4 ), ( 4 ) for pushing the lateral ends of the memory card ( 1 ) against the terminal surface abutting portion ( 3 ) by the supporting strips ( 12 ).

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a memory card connector for connectinga terminal of a memory card to a terminal on a substrate so as to becapable of data exchange.

2. Background Art

For example, since a mobile phone is to be used by registering personalinformation such as telephone numbers, it is desired that registeredpersonal information can be transferred easily from an old machine to anew machine when upgrading to the new machine. Therefore, in recentyears, a memory card connecter is soldered to a substrate integrated inthe mobile phone, and the memory card for storing personal informationis detachably attached to the connector. When the mobile phone isupgraded, the memory card is pulled out from the connector and isattached to the connector of the new machine for transferring personalinformation.

The memory card connector is desired to be able to retain the memorycard firmly and allow the memory card to be attached and detachedeasily. Therefore, the memory card connector in the related art isprovided with a housing having fitting holes at both ends and tabssubstantially fitted into these fitting holes and had insertion stripsthat formed with projections at both ends. Then, the memory cardconnector is formed by inserting the insertion strips into the fittingholes on the housing, and attaching the tabs to the housing.

However, in the structure in which the insertion strips of the tabs areinserted into the fitting holes of the housing for assembly as in therelated art, since the projections on the insertion strips are widerthan the fitting holes of the housing, it is necessary to insert thetabs with a jig or the like with a strong force while deforming thehousing. Consequently, the production cost is increased by introductionof the jig, and the assembly processes increase by a step of using thejig. Therefore, there arises a problem that the burden of the operatorincreases, and hence production efficiency is lowered.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amemory card connector in which the burden of the operator can bealleviated by reducing the production cost required for introducing thejig and the operating processes, and hence the production efficiency canbe improved.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a memory card connector for detachablyretaining a memory card and allowing a terminal formed on a terminalsurface of the memory card to be connected to the terminal on asubstrate so as to be capable of data exchange including: a housinghaving a terminal surface abutting portion to be abutted to the terminalsurface of the memory card and guiding walls extending upward fromlateral ends of the terminal surface abutting portion for laterallypositioning the memory card; and tabs having resilient supporting stripson top and bottom and being attached to the respective guiding walls bybeing fitted from the outside so as to clamp the tops and bottoms of theguiding walls by these supporting strips for pushing the lateral ends ofthe memory card against the terminal surface abutting portion by thesupporting strips.

In this arrangement, when attaching the tab by fitting it from theoutside of the guiding wall, it is necessary to open the supportingstrips disposed on top and bottom of the tab forcibly upward anddownward by allowing them to abut against the guiding wall.

However, since the supporting strips have resiliency, an operator canfit the tab easily to the state in which the supporting strips clamp theguiding wall by pushing the tab toward the guiding wall. Therefore, itis no longer necessary to use a jig which presses the tab with a largeforce as in the case of fitting the same by forcibly deforming thehousing as in the related art. Accordingly, the production cost requiredfor introducing the jig can be reduced, and the steps required for usingthe jig can be eliminated. As a consequence, the burden of the operatorcan be alleviated, and the production efficiency can be improved.

In the present invention, the ends of the supporting strips are inclinedfrom the proximal side to the free end so as to be reduced in length.

In this arrangement, when attaching the memory card to the memory cardconnector, the free ends of the supporting strips come near the terminalsurface abutting portion, whereby the memory card can be inserted byinserting the end thereof through a larger clearance formed on theproximal side of the supporting strips even when the distance betweenthe free ends of the supporting strips and the terminal surface abuttingportion of the housing is smaller than the thickness of the memory card.Accordingly, the memory card can easily be attached to the memory cardconnector.

In the present invention, the tab is formed so that the supportingstrips are symmetrical top and bottom.

In this arrangement, since the tab can be attached upside down, handlingof the tab is facilitated, and the burden of the operator can further bealleviated.

In the present invention, the outer surfaces of the supporting strips ofthe tab, which is located on the lower side of the guiding wall, arefixed to the substrate by soldering. In this arrangement, the connectorcan be fixed firmly to the substrate.

In the present invention, the outer surfaces of the supporting strips ofthe tab are formed with mesh patterns. In this arrangement, since thesurface area of the outer surfaces of the supporting strip can beincreased by the mesh patterns, fixation of the connector with respectto the substrate by soldering can further be strengthened.

In the present invention, since the tab has a locking window openingfrom the upper supporting strip to the lower supporting strip, and theguiding wall has a locking member formed so that the top and bottomportions are situated upwardly of the upper supporting strip anddownwardly of the lower supporting strip in the locking window,respectively.

In this arrangement, the tab is prevented from dropping off the housingby the top and bottom portions of the locking member being abuttedagainst the upper and lower supporting strips respectively.

In the present invention, the locking member is provided with bevelsinclining from the outer surface toward the top and bottom portions. Inthis arrangement, since the supporting strips of the tab open along thebevels, the tab can easily be attached to the housing.

In the present invention, the locking members are arranged side-by-sideat a plurality of positions, and the supporting strips are formed withprojections for clamping the guiding wall between the locking members onthe sides of locking window thereof.

In this arrangement, even when the shape-retaining property of thesupporting strip is lowered by the formation of the locking window, thelowering of the shape-retaining property can be minimized by clampingthe top and bottom of the guiding wall with the projection.

The present invention is a mobile phone provided with the memory cardconnector having the structure as described above. Accordingly, evenwhen the memory card connector is provided within an enclosure of themobile phone, and attachment or detachment thereof must be done fromobliquely upward, attachment or detachment can be done easily. Inaddition, even when an irregular separating force is generated for thememory card connector during attaching or detaching operation, thememory card connector can hardly be separated from the substrate.Consequently, upgrading of the mobile phone can be done easily andsafely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing assembly processes of a memorycard connector.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory drawing showing the state in which the memorycard connector is mounted to a mobile phone.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the memory card connector.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the memory card connector. FIG. 5 is a backview of the memory card connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, an embodiment of the presentinvention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a memory card connectoraccording to the present embodiment is for detachably retaining a memorycard 1 and connecting a terminal formed on a terminal surface 1 a of thememory card 1 to a terminal on a substrate 21 in FIG. 2 so as to becapable of data exchange. As an example of the memory card 1, there isSIM (Subscribed Identification Module) card. However, it may be otherinformation storage medium. The substrate 21 is installed on a mobilephone 22 or other information terminals or electrical equipment as shownin FIG. 2.

The aforementioned memory card connector includes a housing 2 formed ofsynthetic resin, and a metallic tab 10 provided on the housing 2 asshown in FIGS. 1, 3 through 5. The housing 2 includes a terminal surfaceabutting portion 3 to be abutted against the terminal surface 1 a of thememory card 1, and guiding walls 4, 4 extending upward from the lateralends of the terminal surface abutting portion 3 for positioning thememory card 1 in the lateral direction. The terminal surface abuttingportion 3 includes a terminal retaining member 3 a for retaining a relayterminal 5. The terminal retaining members 3 a are formed at threepositions in the lateral direction of the housing 2, and two sets ofthese three members are disposed at two positions at the front and rearin the longitudinal direction. Each guiding wall 4 includes a lockingmember 6 for retaining the tab 10, and a tab accommodating groove 7. Thetab accommodating groove 7 is set to have a groove height, a groovelength and a groove thickness corresponding to the height, length, andthickness of the tab 10. On the other hand, the locking members 6 aredisposed side-by-side in the tab accommodating groove 7 at two positionsin the longitudinal direction. The locking member 6 may be provided atone single position and at three or more positions.

On the other hand, the tab 10 includes an upright portion 11 which comesinto surface abutment with the aforementioned tab accommodating groove 7and supporting strips 12, 12 bent from the upper and lower ends of theupright portion 11. The distance between the supporting strips 12, 12 onthe proximal side is set to the length corresponding to the grooveheight of the tab accommodating groove 7. The bent angle is preferablysuch that the width between both ends of the supporting strips 12, 12 issmaller than the width thereof on the proximal side. The both supportingstrips 12, 12 have resiliency, and is adapted to be fitted so as toclamp the top and bottom of the guiding wall 4 of the housing 2 from theoutside of the housing 2. One of the supporting strips 12 is adapted topush the lateral ends of the memory card 1 toward the terminal surfaceabutting portion 3. The end of the supporting strip 12 is inclined so asto be reduced in length from the proximal side to the free end so thatthe end of the memory card 1 can be inserted through the largerclearance on the proximal side of the supporting strip 12. In addition,the supporting strips 12, 12 are symmetrical top and bottom so that thetab 10 can be attached upside down.

The supporting strip 12 of the tab 10 located on the lower side of theguiding wall 4 is fixed to the substrate 21 by soldering at the outersurface thereof so that the memory card connector is firmly fixed to thesubstrate 21 in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the outer surface of eachsupporting strip 12 is formed with a mesh pattern 9. The mesh pattern 9increases strength of fixation of the memory card connector to thesubstrate 21 by soldering by increasing the surface area of the outersurface of the supporting strip 12.

The tab 10 has a locking window 13 opening from the upper supportingstrip 12 to the lower supporting strip 12. The locking window 13 hasprojections 10 a formed in the opposite direction from the projectingdirection of the supporting strips 12 at the center thereof. The lockingwindow 13 is fitted to the locking members 6, 6 formed on each guidingwall 4 described above. Each locking member 6 is formed so that the topand bottom portions are situated upwardly of the upper supporting strip12 and downwardly of the lower supporting strip 12 in the locking window13. The locking member 6 prevents the tab 10 from dropping off thehousing 2 by abutting on its top and bottom portions against the upperand lower supporting strips 12, 12, respectively. The locking member 6is also projected outwardly from the tab accommodating groove 7 by anextent corresponding to the groove thickness, so as to support the tab10 with the tab accommodating groove 7 in the horizontal direction(longitudinal direction of the guiding wall 4).

Furthermore, the locking member 6 includes bevels 6 a inclining from theouter surface to the top and bottom portions. The bevels 6 a facilitatethe supporting strips 12, 12 of the tab 10 to open upward and downwardalong the bevels 6 a. Provided between the locking members 6, 6 arrangedin parallel are the projections 10 a formed on the aforementionedsupporting strips 12 on the side of the locking window 13. Theprojections 10 a minimize lowering of the shape-retaining property ofthe supporting strips 12 by clamping the guiding wall 4 by the lockingmembers 6, 6.

With the configuration descried above, a method of manufacturing thememory card connector will be described.

(Tab Manufacturing Process)

A band-shaped thin metal plate wound in a roll is set to an unwindingdevice. Then, the distal portion of the metal plate is unwound to apressing machine. In this pressing machine, a pressing surface having anumber of concavities and convexities is pressed against the metalplate, and hence the concavities and convexities of the pressing surfaceare transferred to the surface of the metal plate as the mesh pattern 9.The mesh pattern 9 stated here includes the one including a number ofconcavities and convexities formed thereon, the one in which a number oflinear or curved fine lines are disposed in parallel, the one in which anumber of fine lines of the forms described above are formed across eachother, or the one having a combination of these concavities andconvexities and the fine lines of the forms described above.

Subsequently, the outline of the tab 10 in the deployed state is punchedout with a part of it remained so that the portion formed with the meshpattern 9 corresponds to the supporting strips 12, 12. Then, afterhaving punched out the locking window 13, the supporting strips 12, 12are bent, so that the tab 10 is formed continuously at regular intervalson the metal plate. Subsequently, the tabs 10 are cut off from the metalplate so as to obtain single tab 10

(Housing and Relay Terminal Manufacturing Process)

A metal die having a cavity corresponding to the outline of the housing2 is prepared. The metal die is set to an injection molding machine, andparticles of synthetic resin material having insulating property aresupplied to the injection molding machine, so that the housing 2 ismanufactured. Also, a set of three relay terminals 5, 5, 5 arranged inparallel is formed by punching and bending the band-shaped thin metalplate by a pressing machine or the like.

(Assembly Process)

The tab 10, the housing 2, and the set of the relay terminal 5manufactured in the respective processes described above are supplied tothe part feeders respectively. Then, in the assembly process, the partsare supplied from the respective part feeders one by one in apredetermined posture to the operator. The operator first picks up thehousing 2 using a gripping tool such as a pincer or the like. Thehousing 2 may be picked up by the operator's hand.

Subsequently, the tab 10 is picked up and the upper and lower supportingstrips 12, 12 are moved toward the guiding wall 4 of the housing 2. Thesupporting strips 12, 12 reached the guiding wall 4 come into abutmentrespectively with the upper and lower bevels 6 a, 6 a formed on eachlocking member 6 on the guiding wall 4. When the tab 10 is pushedagainst the guiding wall 4, the supporting strips 12, 12 are deformed soas to open upward and downward along the bevels 6 a, 6 a, and move so asto clamp the guiding wall 4. Therefore, even when the clearance betweenthe distal portions of the supporting strips 12, 12 is reduced due to anexternal force exerted while the tab 10 is stored or carried, thesupporting strips 12, 12 can be moved so as to clamp the guiding wall 4without problem.

Since the supporting strips 12, 12 have resiliency and are formed ofthin metal plate, they are easily deformed and restored to theiroriginal state. Therefore, since the both supporting strips 12, 12 areopened and moved so as to clamp the guiding wall 4 simply by theoperator pressing the tab 10 lightly toward the guiding wall 4 of thehousing 2, the tab 10 can be attached to the housing 2 easily. Also, atthis time, since the supporting strips 12, 12 are formed so as to besymmetrical top and bottom, the tab 10 can be attached upside down, andhence the tab 10 can be used for both left side and right side as adouble-sided tab 10 without limitation. Therefore, mistake duringoperation of mounting the tab 10 can be avoided. In addition, the burdenof the operator for paying attention to the mounting direction may beeliminated, and the process of paying attention to the mountingdirection may also be eliminated.

When the upright portion 11 of the tab 10 comes into abutment with thetab accommodating groove 7 by pressing the tab 10 to the guiding wall 4,the top and bottom portion of the locking member 6 disposed in the tabaccommodating groove 7 enter into the locking window 13. Accordingly, bythe top and bottom portions of the locking member 6 coming into abutmentwith the upper and lower supporting strips 12, 12 respectively, the tab10 is prevented from dropping off the housing 2. In addition, by the tab10 being fitted into the tab accommodating groove 7, the tab 10 isprevented from being displaced in the horizontal direction along theguiding wall 4.

When the tabs 10, 10 are attached to the housing 2 in the mannerdescribed above, subsequently, a set of three relay terminals 5 arrangedin parallel is picked up. The relay terminals 5, 5, 5 are fitted to theterminal retaining members 3 a, 3 a, 3 a arranged in parallel in thelateral direction of the housing 2 respectively at one operation.Subsequently, a carrier, not shown, which connects the relay terminals5, 5, 5 is broken off, and hence the respective relay terminals 5, 5, 5are brought electrically into an independent state. By performing thisfitting operation of the relay terminals 5, 5, 5 with respect to thefront and rear terminal retaining member 3 a, 3 a, 3 a the memory cardconnector is manufactured.

Subsequently, the operation of the memory card connector manufactured asdescribed above will be described.

The memory card connector is first placed on the substrate 21 of themobile phone 22 in FIG. 2 together with other electronic components.Then, the lower supporting strip 12 of the tab 10 is soldered to thesubstrate 21 together with the relay terminal 5. Accordingly, the memorycard connector is brought into a state of being firmly fixed to thesubstrate 21.

Then, the memory card 1 is inserted between the guiding walls 4, 4 ofthe housing 2, and is inserted between the upper supporting strips 12 ofthe respective tabs 10 provided on lateral ends and the terminal surfaceabutting portion 3 of the housing 2. In this case, the ends of therespective supporting strips 12 are inclined so as to be reduced inlength from the proximal side to the free ends. Therefore, the free endsof the supporting strips 12 come near the terminal surface abuttingportion 3, whereby the memory card 1 can be inserted by inserting theend thereof through a larger clearance formed on the proximal side ofthe supporting strips 12 even when the distance between the free ends ofthe supporting strips 12 and the terminal surface abutting portion 3 ofthe housing 2 is smaller than the thickness of the memory card 1.Consequently, the memory card 1 can easily be attached to the memorycard connector.

Also, since the memory card 1 is inserted so as to open the supportingstrips 12 of the tab 10 from obliquely above the housing 2 when thememory card 1 is attached to the memory card connector, irregular forcesin the vertical direction and horizontal direction are exerted to thememory card connector. These irregular forces serve as a separatingforce for separating the memory card connector from the substrate 21.However, the memory card connector is adhered to the substrate 21 bysoldering at the supporting strips 12 of the tabs 10 as described above.In addition, the surfaces of the supporting strips 12 are increased inadhering area for soldering by the mesh patterns 9. Accordingly, sincethe memory card connector is firmly fixed to the substrate 21, even whena separating force is generated to some extent when inserting the memorycard 1, the memory card connector is prevented from being separated fromthe substrate 21.

When the memory card 1 is inserted a manner described above, the uppersupporting strips 12, 12 of the both tabs 10, 10 press the lateral endsof the memory card 1 toward the terminal surface abutting portion 3,whereby the memory card 1 is retained by the housing 2. Consequently,the terminal of the memory card 1 is stably connected to the terminal ofthe substrate 21 via the relay terminal 5, and personal information datasuch as telephone numbers are stored in the memory card 1. Whenupgrading the mobile phone 22 in FIG. 2 afterwards, the memory card 1 ispulled out from the memory card connector.

At this time, since the memory card 1 is pulled so as to open thesupporting strips 12 of the tab 10 obliquely upward of the housing 2,irregular forces in the vertical and horizontal directions are exertedto the memory card connector. Then the irregular forces serve as aseparating force for separating the memory card connector from thesubstrate 21. However, the memory card connector is adhered to thesubstrate 21 at the supporting strips 12 of the tab 10 by soldering asdescribed above. In addition, the surfaces of the supporting strips 12are increased in adhering area for soldering by the mesh pattern 9.Since the memory card connector is firmly fixed to the substrate 21,even when the separating force is generated to some extent when pullingout the memory card 1, the memory card connector is prevented from beingseparated from the substrate 21. Then the memory card 1 pulled out inthis manner is connected to the memory card connector of the new mobilephone 22.

As described above, the memory card connector of the present embodimentis intended to detachably retain the memory card 1 and connect theterminal formed on the terminal surface 1 a of the memory card 1 to theterminal on the substrate 21 so as to be capable of data exchange, andincludes the housing 2 having the terminal surface abutting portion 3 tobe abutted to the terminal surface 1 a of the memory card 1, and theguiding walls 4, 4 extending upward from the lateral ends of theterminal surface abutting portion 3 for laterally positioning the memorycard 1, and the tabs 10 having the resilient supporting strips 12, 12 ontops and bottoms and being attached to the respective guiding walls 4 bybeing fitted from the outside so as to clamp the tops and bottoms of theguiding walls 4, 4 by these supporting strips 12, 12 for pushing thelateral ends of the memory card 1 against the terminal surface abuttingportion 3 by the supporting strips 12.

In this arrangement, when attaching the tab 10 by fitting it from theoutside of the guiding wall 4, it is necessary to open the supportingstrips 12 disposed on top and bottom of the tab 10 forcibly upward anddownward by allowing them to abut against the guiding wall 4. However,since the supporting strips 12 have resiliency, an operator can fit thetab 10 easily to the state in which the supporting strips 12 clamp theguiding wall 4 by pushing the tab 10 by hand toward the guiding wall 4.Therefore, it is no longer necessary to use a jig which presses the tab10 with a large force as in the case of fitting the same by forciblydeforming the housing 2 as in the related art. Accordingly, theproduction cost required for introducing the jig can be reduced, and thesteps required for using the jig can be eliminated. As a consequence,the burden of the operator can be alleviated, and the productionefficiency can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the ends of the supporting strips 12 areinclined from the proximal side to the free end so as to be reduced inlength. In this arrangement, when attaching the memory card 1 to thememory card connector, the free ends of the supporting strips 12 comenear the terminal surface abutting portion 3, whereby the memory card 1can be inserted by inserting the end thereof through a larger clearanceformed on the proximal side of the supporting strips 12 even when thedistance between the free ends of the supporting strips 12 and theterminal surface abutting portion 3 of the housing 2 is smaller than thethickness of the memory card 1. Accordingly, the memory card 1 caneasily be attached to the memory card connector.

In the present embodiment, the tab 10 is formed so that the supportingstrips 12 are symmetrical top and bottom. In this arrangement, since thetab 10 can be attached upside down, handling of the tab 10 isfacilitated, and the burden of the operator can further be alleviated.

In the present embodiment, the outer surfaces of the supporting strips12 of the tab 10 positioned on the lower side of the guiding wall 4 arefixed to the substrate 21 by soldering. In this arrangement, theconnector can be fixed firmly to the substrate 21.

In the present embodiment, the outer surfaces of the supporting strips12 of the tab 10 are formed with the mesh patterns 9. In thisarrangement, since the surface area of the outer surfaces of thesupporting strip 12 can be increased by the mesh patterns 9, fixation ofthe connector with respect to the substrate 21 by soldering can furtherbe strengthened.

In the present embodiment, since the tab 10 has the locking window 13opening from the upper supporting strip 12 to the lower supporting strip12, and the guiding wall 4 has the locking member 6 formed so that thetop and bottom portions are situated upwardly of the upper supportingstrip 12 and downwardly of the lower supporting strip 12 in the lockingwindow 13, respectively. In this arrangement, the tab 10 is preventedfrom dropping off the housing 2 by the top and bottom portions of thelocking member 6 being abutted against the upper and lower supportingstrips 12 respectively.

The locking member 6 of the present embodiment includes bevels 6 ainclined form the outer surface to the top and bottom portions thereof.Accordingly, since the supporting strips 12 of the tab 10 open along thebevels 6 a, and hence the tab 10 can be attached to the housing 2easily.

In the present embodiment, the locking members 6 are arrangedside-by-side at a plurality of positions, and the supporting strips 12are formed with projections 10 a for clamping the guiding wall 4 betweenthe locking members 6 on the sides of the locking window 13. In thisarrangement, even when the shape-retaining property of the supportingstrip 12 is lowered by the formation of the locking window 13, thelowering of the shape-retaining property can be minimized by clampingthe top and bottom of the guiding wall 4 with the projection 10 a.

Although the invention has been described based on the preferredembodiment, the present invention may be modified without departing fromthe scope of the invention. In other words, in the present embodiment,while the mesh patterns 9 are formed partly on the areas of thesupporting strips 12, it may be formed entirely on the supporting strips12, or may be formed entirely on the surfaces of the tabs 10. When themesh patterns 9 are formed entirely on the supporting strips 12, thearea for solder adhesion may further be increased. In contrast, when themesh patterns 9 are formed entirely on the surfaces of the tabs 10, evenwhen the positioning accuracy for punching process of the tabs 10 islowered, normal tabs 10 can be formed at high yield.

In the process of manufacturing the tabs in the present embodiment,although the mesh patterns 9 are formed by pressing the pressing surfaceof the pressing machine against the metal plate, it is not limitedthereto. In other words, the mesh patterns 9 may be formed by the meshpatterns formed on the peripheral surface of the transfer roll beingtransferred to the surface of the metal plate by the peripheral surfaceof the transfer roll being pressed against the metal plate. Also, themesh patterns 9 may be formed by blowing fine particles on the surfaceof the metal plate.

Although the assembly process in the present embodiment, is performedaccording to the sequence of mounting the tabs 10 to the housing 2, andthen attaching the relay terminals 5, it is not limited thereto, and theassembly process may also be performed in the sequence of attaching therelay terminals 5, and then attaching the tabs 10.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The memory card connector according to the present invention and themobile phone provided therewith are configured as described above, andhence when fitting and attaching the tabs from the outside of theguiding walls, since the supporting strips have resiliency, the operatorcan easily fit to the state in which the supporting strips clamp theguiding walls by pushing the tabs toward the guiding walls by his/herhand. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the jig for pressing thetabs with a large force. Accordingly, the production cost required forintroducing the jig can be reduced, and the process required for theoperation using the jig can be eliminated. Consequently, the burden ofthe operator can be alleviated and the production efficiency can beeffectively improved.

1. A memory card connector for detachably retaining a memory card andallowing a terminal formed on a terminal surface of the memory card tobe connected to the terminal on a substrate so as to be capable of dataexchange comprising: a housing having a terminal surface abuttingportion to be abutted to the terminal surface of the memory card andguiding walls extending upward from lateral ends of the terminal surfaceabutting portion for laterally positioning the memory card; and tabshaving resilient supporting strips on top and bottom and being attachedto the respective guiding walls by being fitted from the outside so asto clamp the tops and bottoms of the guiding walls by these supportingstrips for pushing the lateral ends of the memory card against theterminal surface abutting portion by the supporting strips.
 2. Thememory card connector according to claim 1, wherein the ends of thesupporting strips are inclined from the proximal side to the free end soas to be reduced in length.
 3. The memory card connector according toclaim 1, wherein the tab is formed so that the supporting strips aresymmetrical top and bottom.
 4. The memory card connector according toclaim 1, wherein the outer surface of the supporting strips of the tabslocated on the lower sides of the guiding walls are fixed to thesubstrate by soldering.
 5. The memory card connector according to claim4, wherein the outer surfaces of the supporting strips of the tab areformed with mesh patterns.
 6. The memory card connector according toclaim 1, wherein the tab has a locking window opening from the uppersupporting strip to the lower supporting strip, and the guiding wall hasa locking member formed so that the top and bottom portions are situatedupwardly of the upper supporting strip and downwardly of the lowersupporting strip in the locking window, respectively.
 7. The memory cardconnector according to claim 6, wherein the locking member is providedwith bevels inclining from the outer surface toward the top and bottomportions.
 8. The memory card connector according to claim 6, wherein thelocking members are arranged side-by-side at a plurality of positions,and the supporting strips are formed with projections for clamping theguiding wall between the locking members on the side of the lockingwindow thereof.
 9. The mobile phone provided with the memory cardconnector according to claim 1.